GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) - Wade Allison scored two goals and Western Michigan killed 12 straight minutes of penalties in a 3-1 National Collegiate Hockey Conference win over North Dakota on Saturday.
Michael Rebry scored an empty-net goal in the closing seconds for the Broncos (8-5-3, 4-5-1-1), who earned a split after losing 5-1 to the Fighting Hawks on Friday.
Ben Blacker made 30 saves for Western Michigan. He relieved Collin Olson after four goals on Friday and was solid throughout the game.
Shane Gersich scored the only goal for the Fighting Hawks (9-6-3, 3-4-1-1), who were 0-for-6 on the power play.
The Broncos killed off a 12-minute stretch of continuous power plays spanning the late second and early third periods. Moments later, Allison netted the game-winner, and Rebry turned and threw the puck into the UND net from the blue line with 38 seconds left for the insurance goal.
“We had a lot of opportunities to try and score at least one goal. We didn’t even gain momentum off of it,” UND coach Brad Berry said of the extended power play time. “Overall we had a chance to win a game and we didn’t do it.”
Allison opened the scoring at 9:08 of the first period. He rushed the net on the power play and tucked a pass from Hugh McGing through the slot behind Cam Johnson for a 1-0 lead.
North Dakota tied it on Gersich’s goal at 18:34 of the first period. He fought off a defender as he attacked the net and crossed in front of goalie Blacker before backhanding the puck under Blacker’s pads.
With 1:25 left in the second period, Western Michigan’s Taylor Fleming was given a five-minute penalty for kneeing and UND went on a power play that carried over to the third period. But the Hawks came up empty with the man advantage again.
Seconds later, Allison ran over Johnson and went to the penalty box. Again, nothing came of the opportunity.
As that penalty ended, Fleming was given a major penalty and game misconduct for checking from behind. But again, UND came up empty on the power play.
Seconds after that ended, Allison scored again with 7:22 left to break the tie.
“We spent a lot of energy going up and down the ice. We didn’t have net-front, we didn’t have shots getting to the net. That’s the basis of the power play,” Berry said. “We go over it over and over again. We didn’t do it tonight. That’s the story of the first half of the season.
UND goalie Cam Johnson made 19 saves for the defending national champions, who are off until finishing the first half of their season New Year’s Eve against Union.
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